Hee Jin curled up in bed, not ready to face the day. She had little to no money or job and managed to anger one of the most dangerous men in the country. This time, more than any, she felt like she had extracted all her strength and ideas. What more could she do? Was it her fault that she was an orphan who had no one to depend on, or that it ran in her blood to always attract all kinds of wrong people?
She couldn't call it bad luck anymore. She was sure there was some curse bestowed upon her because of her wretched bloodline. Maybe the universe was punishing her because of her grandfather's misdeeds. It was a cruel irony that the people who tormented and haunted her existence were like her estranged family tree. Not only that, but she now had to be married into this filth. Even on her worst days, Hee Jin felt lucky not to be related to these gangsters like her late master's wife. That small amount of luck she thought she had was now ripped from her away as well.
While she made a scene the other day in front of the chairman, she knew deep down she had no tricks up her sleeve. She couldn't run away this time. If they managed to find her once, they could do so over and over again. It wasn't like she had any resources or funds to dip into and try running away, and if she did have funds, they wouldn't have fared in front of a family like the Songs.
She ran all the scenarios in her head. Running away wasn't an option. Neither was talking her way out of it like she had hoped. It seemed like marriage was the only option in front of her if she wanted to live. And she did. So desperately it hurt. It was the only option that guaranteed her life.
Song Woo Bin's mother suddenly came to her mind. She seemed to be living a great life. No signs of abuse were seen on her it seemed like she was highly respected and feared. That could be the case for her as well. If she thought about it in an optimistic light, Woo Bin could hold no interest in her and leave her alone. Most men of his calibre had many mistresses. She could be forgotten, like an afterthought. Then, she could live a life that was deemed fit for her. She could be protected for life.
She had to make the choice. Either to live in hiding and run away or be trapped in a marriage that linked her to gangsters.
Her phone ringing put her out of her self-pity.
"Hello." Hee Jin said dejectedly.
"We need to meet up." Woo Bin replied to her.
"Leave me alone." Hee Jin spat out.
"Look here, we're both trapped in this situation, so either you comply with me to make both our lives easier, or you could continue making a mess out of things. And believe me when I tell you, you would suffer way more than I would if you continue with that attitude of yours."
"How about I shove that attitude up your ass." Hee Jin hit back.
"Nice insult. I'll send you a location. See you at four." He said, before hanging up.
If that phone wasn't so precious to her, she would've smashed it across the wall.
It wasn't fair.
Life was not fair to her. It was cruel and painful. So she got up from her bed and decided to get ready. No matter how much it hurt.
She saw him sitting near the window in the coffee house. She was walking on the pavement of the coffee house when knocked on the glass, making her shrink back in surprise. She threw him a disgusted look when he winked at her. She hated how lightly he was taking the situation. Then again, he wouldn't nearly suffer as much as her.
She pushed the door open, walked up to his table and took a seat in front of him. The heavy scent of the beans wafted through her nose, making her cringe. She hated coffee.
"Tell me what you wanted to say that couldn't be said on the phone." Hee Jin cut to the chase.
"What would you like to drink first?" he asked taking a sip of his cup.
"I won't drink anything. Can we get this over with?"
"It's your choice whether to make this miserable for yourself or not."
"I don't drink coffee."
"That's not what I meant, sweetheart." He chuckled.
"Stop with the endearments and get to the point."
"Look here, Hee Jin. What you did last time with my grandfather was an example of what you should not do in the future. Ms. Kim should've taught you better. That's why we sent her to you in the first place."
"I'm not a rabid dog that needs training. What I did was nothing short of justified. I'm over here going mental and everyone acts like what's happening is the most normal thing in the world. Tell me, do you want to marry me?" She asked.
"I will marry you."
"That's not what I asked, sweetheart." She mocked.
"In my world, that's what to be expected from me. It was never a matter of want. And while I never expected someone like you to be my lawfully wedded bride, I will do it either way." He replied.
"What does someone like me mean?" Hee Jin was aggrieved at his choice of words.
"Don't play the fool. You know exactly what I mean. You don't belong in my world."
"Like I ever wanted to."
"Well, I don't blame you for that, but there's nothing in our hands, so could you just comply? You making a mess in front of everyone wouldn't change a thing. Like it or not, you're soon going to be one of us."
"What if I run away?"
"You're smart enough to know the answer to that question. At least make it an easier job for the people underneath you. They'll be the ones collecting after your mess like what happened with Ms. Kim."
"What happened to her?"
"She's being heavily reprimanded by my grandfather. She should've taught you better."
"That's my fault! Not hers. It's my mistake to account for." She argued.
"Not anymore. Don't worry, you'll get your fair share of accountability for what you did. Whatever choice you take in this, it won't be yours alone to make." He warned.
"So do you expect me to live the rest of my life like that? I don't want to accept this life sentence. That's not right. That's not what I want. Please, there has to be something. You must know something. You have more power than me." Feeling the last bits of her pride being shredded to pieces, Hee Jin begged.
"It'll be better for everyone if you accept our situation like I have. Who knows, maybe we could be friends after this?" He chuckled darkly.
"Can you stop? There's nothing to laugh about. You're being cruel."
"Cruel? What have I done to you? If anything, I'm the only one on your side. I tried, Hee Jin. I laugh because it's the only thing I'm capable of doing. So stop blaming me. I wasn't the one who planned this. I tried--. You know, whatever. You're not going to listen anyway." Suddenly, he looked tired and washed out. He threw money on the table and got up.
"Good day to you. I hope you think clearly about what I said." He walked out on her, leaving her alone.
"Hello, Ms. Kim." Hee Jin said as soon as Ms. Kim picked up her phone call. She couldn't shake the guilt after what Woo Bin had told her. She didn't feel strongly for the woman, but she used to be like Ms. Kim one day. She would get punishments for crimes she didn't commit. It was never her fault that her master was in a bad mood, yet she still got hit anyway. She wouldn't want to be the person to inflict that sort of pain on someone else.
"Hello, Miss Hee Jin. To what do I owe the honour."
"Tell the chairman that I request a meeting with him. In private." Hee Jin asked.
"You've gotten quite assertive. A great quality to have. It'll help you well in the future."
"Is that an okay?"
"I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you."
"It's my job." With that, Ms. Kim hung up on her.
Hee Jin knew what she had to do. It wasn't to run away. It wasn't to yield either. Woo Bin's words made her realize something. For the first time in her life, Hee Jin had power. Becoming part of the Songs wouldn't demolish her dreams, but perhaps it might be a door to live protected for life.
That could be enough. It should be. She had never felt safe in her life. She might've tasted freedom for the first time when she ran away from her master, but nightmares still haunted her nights. She overlooked her shoulders while walking down the street. She locked her apartment door extra tight, fearing invaders.
She was scared. All the time. Whether she would starve to death or the cold would freeze the blood in her veins. She was afraid of what she knew and what she didn't. She lived in the swarms of gangsters for years. She might've been at the bottom of the food chain but her eyes and ears worked fine. She knew more than the average person would.
She still didn't have any legal paperwork, saying that she existed. For all she knew, she might've been labelled as dead after she ran away from the orphanage.
Marrying into the Songs could have her provided for life. Did freedom matter when compared to safety? She wouldn't be happy. That was for sure, but she shouldn't be greedy anymore. She wouldn't get beaten and abused again. She would be a lady of the house.
Hee Jin, with trepidation, started cleaning up her apartment. She didn't know how much time of freedom she had left. She didn't know anything nor fully understood what she was getting herself into, but cleaning was the only thing she knew how to do. As Woo Bin had said, she thought bitterly to herself.
Woo Bin was a mystery to her, she thought to herself as she got the bleach out of the kitchen drawer. With a toothbrush, she started working on the filth between the tiles. It had always bothered her ever since she moved but she never had the time to scrap it off. Now, she had all the time in the world.
She thought back to his words. He didn't seem like the worst marriage partner, although Hee Jin knew she could hardly think of him as anything to her. She was sure he would never come close to her neither did she want him to. Despite the whole ordeal being about being tied to him for life, she was more scared of being related to his family rather than him.
She quickly dismissed any thought of violence he could inflict on her. The family seemed to treat their women well. So any thoughts about abuse, she pushed away for the sake of her sanity.
Woo Bin was a good partner, but he was cunning. That in itself was a hurdle. Better having a dimwit than a sharp person like Woo Bin. Yet, what piqued her was how he seemed like a chess piece in all that had happened.
He was smart and a very capable man. But he didn't do anything. It felt like he had been a background character in all that had happened. It was only when they were both alone had his true colours appeared. He wasn't as aloof as he made himself out to be in front of his family.
Still, so many question marks hovered around this family and this marriage. But she had no choice but to be a chess piece like Woo Bin.
"I'm sorry for the chaos I have caused the last time. It was entirely my fault. Please accept my apology." Hee Jin bowed in front of the chairman like a model example of obedience and repentance. That took her years of practice to perfect. Men like him loved being revered. It didn't matter whether she was genuine or not. She did only what would please him and make her get what she wanted in return.
"Sit down, child. I'm glad you have come to your senses." He said smugly.
Ms Kim had secured the meeting with the chairman at the speed of light, and Hee Jin found herself after two days in his office. However, unlike last time, she came to apologize.
"Thank you." She replied, taking a seat.
"It's good that you have realized your mistake early on. The consequences would've been dire."
"I understand." She replied, taking a seat.
"And what exactly it is that you understand?" He asked.
"That my actions have repercussions. Not just for me."
"Is that why you came? For Ms. Kim?" He asked.
"I also came to apologize for my behaviour."
"I see. You're a smart lady."
"Thank you."
"I'll take your coming here as your acceptance of your union with my grandson."
"Yes, that's correct." She said, feigning respect.
"Wonderful. It's nice when things between families pan out nicely in the end. I expect your wedding to be at the beginning of the next month."
"Next month?" She asked, horrified.
"The sooner the better. We have everything in order. Do not fret." He said, trying to assure her as if she were scared of being under prepared, not of the fact she despised this marriage.
"Of course."
"You might not see it now, but you two would be good for each other more than you would think."
"I hope so." She replied, lowering her head in disappointment and defeat.